My chihuahua's claw is very swollen and painful. What should I do?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Chico! If the broken part of the nail is still present then the nail needs to be cut back. If the tow is swollen there may be an infection. I recommend an appointment with your Vet to have the nail cut back if needed, an anti-inflammatory and antibiotics. Sometimes we bandage the foot or use and Elizabethan collar (cone) to prevent licking. I hope this helps and I wish Chico a speedy recovery!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely happening because of the nail. This is probably very painful. I recommend you have him evaluated by a veterinarian. They would be able to evaluate the area carefully and probably cut the nail carefully. Pain control medications and medications for inflammation may be used after to help with healing. Best of luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be due to an infection or a traumatic injury for example. It is difficult to know without being able to examine her. I recommend that you have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to start antibiotics if needed. Good luck and have a good night!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I would have this looked at by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I would recommend having x-rays taken of the toe to make sure the toe is not broken. If there is no broken bones, then I worry about a bacterial infection and he may need to be placed on oral antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

If it just started you can let Bear rest for a few days with minimal walking and minimal physical exercise, if it does not improve within 3-4 days you will have to take him to the vet in order to get it checked and treated, she might need pain killers for a few days. if the vet think it's something more serious such as a fracture or joint injury, he might recommend to have an xray done as well.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Just like you indicated, this could be due to a foreign body getting stuck in the digit though other things like a deep infection or even a growth cannot be ruled out. It could even be secondary to her licking at it. For this reason, it is important to rule those out. I recommend a visit to your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and treat accordingly. Good luck and have a great day!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I’m sorry to hear about Sugar. This could be a number of things including snake bite, bee sting, broken toe/foot, or abscess. I’d recommend seeing your vet as soon as possible for a better diagnosis and the proper treatment. Tonight is ideal. If the swelling continues up the leg or Sugar becomes lethargic, has tremors, or any other worrisome signs, please see an emergency vet immediately. Otherwise, I recommend the following until you can get in tomorrow. Ice- apply an ice pack or frozen veggie bag wrappped in a paper towel or thin cloth. Apply for 5-10 mins every 2-4 hours. This does wonders for both pain and swelling. Epsom salt soak- mix 4 tbsp Epsom salts in 1 cup warm water. Soak his paw in this tonight. This helps with pain, swelling, and if there is something stuck (stinger, thorn, etc). I absolutely do NOT recommend any human pain medications as they are neither safe, nor very effective in animals. They may also interfere with the pain medications that your vet will want to prescribe. Best of luck to you and Sugar!